Primary battery.



W. M. BRODIE.

PRIMARY BATTERY.

APPLICATION FILED APR, 7.1909,

'WITNE55E 5= NvENTo @ma m ATTORNEYS WILLIAM M. BROUIE. 0F EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

PRIMARY ATTERY.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909,

Application filed April 7, 1909. Serial No. 488,462.

To all whom t lmay concern:

Be it known that I, VVIIILIAM M. Bnonlr., a citizen of the. United States, residing at East Grange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have Invented certain new and useful ln'iprovements in Primary Batteries, ot' which the following is a full., clear, and exact description, such as will cnuhle. others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My Yinvention relates to batteries in which two elements are used in an exciting Huid in which one of the elements is elretro-positive in relation to the other.

The principal object ot' my invention is to rheapen and simplify the construction oi! such batteries, andA this l accomplish by proriding the battery cell with resilient sup ports for the elements.

.A irther object is to soA assemble. the parts that. the battery will more readily stand the shock and jar of portable use without serious damage to the elements.

lt` has been found lin practice that when the ordinary batteries are used on automobiles and other machines where there is a continuous vibration when the machine is in operation, the battery elements are likely to be fractured or dislodged before they are entirely used up. My construction tends to prevent trouble of this kind and hence reduces the cost of operation.

ln usinor the ordinary battery, the expense of renewals is considerable and the renewed battery is usually not as etlicient as a new battery. lith my cheapened and improved construction, the entire battery can be thrown away when exhausted and a new battery substituted at about the expense of ordinary renewals.

In carrying out my invention, I lnake use ot the construction illustrated in' the/accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1. illustrates a sectional elevation of two cells and the containing case, the zinc in one cell being broken away.l Fig. 2 illustrates at single cell. l `i 3 is a top plan View of the same; and `ig. l illustrates a inodied construction. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the zine supports.

Similar letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and draw- ITIUS.

lhee'ell jar is made of sheet metal which ."ll not be acted upon by the exciting solu- ,un used, but in the copper oxid type of battery, I prefer to use sheet. iron or steel. The eelt body 1 together witlrthi` bottom L) mav be formed or drawn as one picco. but l find it cheaper to form the parts trom [lut sheet stock and wcld them together by means of the oxygen-aretylene flume or other snit able appliance. To the bottom ol` the coll jar is wcidcd the opstanding strip ol' sin-ct iron or steel il which is bent out ot' lino at l, and has tbc ti'n'igue 5 struck out and bent in the opposite direction to form a. retaining clip or pocket for the copper oxid plat c o, The metal strip 2S is perforated :is at T to allow free access of the exciting liquid to tbe oxid plate. The. upper end of the strip 3 has extending therefrom, a tongue piece. 8 Which is bent over the top edge oi the oxid plate ti and holds it in place. 'lhe lower edge. of the strip 3 is provided with wing t brace tianges 9, and tongues 10 which pass through corres onding slots in the bottom 2 and are wel( ed thereto. It will be secu that this structure forms a resilient mounting for the copper oxid plate t5, which will absorb-much of the jar of sudden shocks and prevent fracture of the plate. The top l1 of the cell is inserted and welded in place after the zinc plates 1Q have been suspended therefrom. The zinc plates 12 are united in any suitable manner, but a here shown.` they are connected by the flsha.ped strip 13 and suspended from the top 11 by the bolt; 14 which passes through the strip 1?. In

practice, this strip 13 is placed in a mold iff and the zinc plates are cast above the ends of the strip 13 as shown, the enlargement 12*L being for the purpose of adding strength to the connection. The bolt 14 is secured by tlieusual nut 15 and serves as a` binding post inthe usual way. The top 11 being ot metal` the zinc connecting strip 13 and bolt llt must be insulated therefrom. This may be done by inserting between these parts, a block of insulating material iti in the. usual mauner; but to malte the mounting resilient. and shoolrabsorbiug, l insert washers li' of rub ber or other suitable material on one or both sides of the thin metal top 11 and between the block 16 and the nut 15. the4 passage of the bolt l-t through thc top l1 is made large enough to prevent` contact of the bolt with the edge of thc hole and will be held in a central position by the compressihlewashers 17. The body, top and bottom of the cell and the strip 3 being welded together, they are practically integral and, together' with the copper oxid plate ti, toi-rn the negative electrode and hence thc connecting wire 1.8 may be soldered or fastened to the cell as at 19.

For the exciting fluid a solution of caustic soda, caustic potasll or other suitable electrolyte may bc used, and as the trop ot' my cell is welded to the jar, it is necessary to provide means for introducing the exciting tluid. A hole is made in the top 11 at 20 in which may be secured atubc 21 oi suitable material, but` preferably of hard rubber to prevent short circuits outside oli' the containing case. As a vent is necessary to allow the escape ol. hydrogen or other gas liberated when thebattery is in action, the screw cap on thel end of the tube 2l is provided with a hole 2B for the purpose. To retain the copper oxid plat/e A(l in proper relation to the zinc plates 12, the U-shaped piece of insulating material 24 is inserted between the plates as shown` W hen the bate tei-y is likely to receive very rough usage, the U-shaped piece 24 may be made of soft rubber to serve as an additional shock absorber.

As my improved cells of sheet steel or iron are likely to be indented if unprotected, and as they are seldom used singly, I shall now describe my method of assembling a plurality of cells to form a substantial commercial battery. The cells, two, four, six or any desired number, may be assembled in a protecting and carrying case 25 which may be of Wood or other suitable material, in which the sheet metal cells are placed and separated from each other and from the case; the space below, above and all about and between the cells being filled With an asphaltum or petroleum product, or some suitable mixture thereof, as shown at 26 in F ig: 1. The mixture is poured in warm and allowed to cool and harden, thus forming a liquid proof inclosure for each cell and for the entire battery, thoroughly protecting the same. 1t will be noted that the asphaltum mixture is allowed to iiow overthe tops 11 of the cells and about the washers 17 ,nuts 15 and the bottoms of the tubes so as to seal and retain all securely in place. The battery box 25 is covered by the lid 27, which may be secured in any suitable manner, as by screws 28. Suitable holes 29 are made in the lid 27 for the'passage of the cell filling and vent tubes 21. he bottom 2 of each cell is covered with a thin layer 31 of the asphaltum mixture or other material, to prevent any broken zines from contacting with the bottom of the cell. The interior walls 1` of the cell, may also be so covered if found desirable. The battery box 25 is provided with a carrying handle 30 of leather or other suitable material and secured to the box in any suitable manner. Binding posts or other means (not shown) to which the battery cells artI properly connected, may be seemed to the lid 2"? tor attaching the service wiresl leading to the spark coil or other appliance with which it is desired to use the battery.

The cell jars or cans may be put to other in any suitable nmnner. In the moldiiica' tion shown in Fig. 4, the top 36 and bottoni 37 overlap the cell body 38 and are welded on the outside thereof. The strip 3 is shown as attached to the bottom 37 and cell l'iody 3S in a` different manner from that shown in Fig. 1. The lateral flanges 2%) extending across the bottom 37 are welded with the bottom to the body 38. In Fig. 4 is also shown a, substitute for the Ushaped holder or buffer 24, which here consists of the U-shaped metal clip 40, bolted or riveted to the zinc connector' 13, the ends thereof being covered with rubber tubing Zt1 or other insulating material. This forni may be used if more resilience of the parte is desired. A modified construction for the filling and vent tube is also shown. In this construction, a short tube 42 is Welded or soldered to the top 3G over the hole 2() and a piece of hard rubber tubing 43 is slipped over the tube 42 and held in place by the tin screw outlet piece 44, scoured to the wood top 27 by the prongs 45, integral with the outlet piece 44. The outlet is closed by the screw cap 46, which is provided with the vent holes 47.

Other modifications of the details of construction may be employed, therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the structures here shown and described.

I claim:

1. In a battery cell, the combination of an inclosed metallic jar, positive and negative elements inclosed therein, means for resili ently securing one of said elements to the bottom ofsa1d cell and separate means for resiliently securing the other element to the top of said cell.

2. A battery cell provided with positive and negative elements, an exciting fluid. and means for resiliently securing the elements to said cell, one of said lelements being se cured and electrically bonded to the bottom of said cell and the other suspended from the top of said cell and insulated therefrom.

3. A battery cell comprising an inclosed metal jar servi-ng as one pole of the cell, a resilient support for one of the elements sccured to said jar and electrically bonded thereto and an element ot" opposite polarity resiliently secured to the top of said jar and insulated therefrom.

4. A battery cell provided with positive and negative elements, resilient means ior securing the elements to said cell, one of said elements being electrically bonded to and the other insulated from said cell and an excit.- ing fluid surrounding both elements and suhmergip `one of them.

5. Agbattery cell comprlsing an inclosed liti l llt" sheet metal jar, a resilient support secured to the bottom of said jar, a copper oxid plate mounted on said supportand serving as one of the elements of said cell, an element of 0p osite polarity resiliently suspended from t e top of said jar and a suitable excit ing fluid therefor.

6. A battery cell jar comprising a sheet metal bodysection, a bottom section and a 00p section welded together and a resilient tnetal support welded to the bottom of said nr.

.4 7. A battery cell comprising an inclosed atleet steel jar provided with a body section, A bottom section and a top section welded to- A ther, a resilient sheet metal ed to the bottomof said jar, a copper oxid plate means for securing the same to said support and zinc plates resiliently suspended from the top of said jar and insulated there from.

8. In a battery cell, the combination of an inclosed sheet metal jar, interleaved positive and negative elements,.said elements being resiliently secured one to the top of said jar and the other to the bottom of said jar and an insulatin buffer secured to one of said elements an embracingr the other element for preventing contact and excessive vibra- '.'Vl tion of the same.

9. In a battery cell, the combination of an inclosed sheet metal jar, positive and nega tive elements resilientlv secured thereto and an insulating material covering the inside surface of the bottom and lower part of the y jar for the purpose specified.

10. A battery comprising a plurality of i cells each provided with a positive and negative element, an excitmg tiuld, and means tor resillently securing the Velements to said cell,

support weld4 one of said elements being secured and elec- `trically bonded to the bottom of said cell and the other element suspended from the top of said cell and insulated therefrom, said plurality of cells being spaced a Jari, and secured in a carrying case by embe dinpT and coverin the cells with a pitchlike substance for sea ing, "insulating and protecting'` the same.

l1. A battery comprising a plurality of cells each consisting ot' an inelosed metal 'jar serving as one pole of the `cell,'a resilient support for one of the elements' secured to said jar and electrically bonded thereto, and another element ot opposite polarity secured to the top of the jar and insulated therefrom, said plurality of cells secured in a carryinpT case and spaced apart from each other, a

itchlike substance 'surrounding and inclosmg said plurality of cells, whereby said cells are sealed, insulated and protected from eX- ternal injliry.

l2. A, battery comprising a` plurality of cells each conslsting of a sheet metal body section, a bottom section and a top section welded together, and a resilient metal snp port welded to the bottom of said jar, a copper oxid plate means for securing,r the saine to s aid support and zinc plates resiliently suspended from the top of said jar and insulated therefrom, said plurality of cells being mounted in a case and surrounded and cov ered by a pitchlike substance for insulating and protectin said cells.

This s eci cation signed and witnessed this 5th' ay of April 1909.

`WILLIAM M. BRODIIC.

Witnesses Louis M. SANnEns, C. A. AnLIs'IoN. 

